1. Overview of Program

This Instructional Design Document was generated as part of InfoUse's project entitled
"An Internet-Based Curriculum on Math and Aeronautics for Children with Physical
Disabilities" which was funded through a cooperative agreement with NASA. NASA's
award, which previously was administered through the High Performance Computing and
Communications (HPCC) Office as part of NASA's Information
Infrastructure Technology and Applications (IITA) program, was given as one of eight
such awards for developing new ways of teaching science, mathematics, engineering, and
aeronautics through developing new Internet-based information technologies. Currently, the
PlaneMath project is being funded through NASA's Learning
Technologies Project (LTP).

The genesis of this project is based around two issues. The first issue came from an
awareness that, around the 4th grade, current mathematics curricula are highly reliant on
students' ability to use manipulables such as paper and pencil, calculators, or
three-dimensional geometric models. Children with disabilities that affect their ability
to manipulate objects (cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, specific hand/arm conditions,
etc.) and who therefore find it difficult or impossible to use such manipulables are
clearly at an academic disadvantage. The second issue came from the realization that
physically disabled children may not consider or be prepared for career possibilities in
aeronautics or the importance of mathematics in pursuing these careers. The Internet, with
its multimedia and communication capabilities, holds great potential for allowing these
issues to be addressed.

The program has the goal of portraying children and adults as bright, enthusiastic, and
able to both assist and work with others, regardless of ethnicity, background, disability,
gender, etc.